Cinema Clash

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Five films based on true stories – and one animated dud. Tune in for the lowdown on: THE NUT JOB 2, not based on actual events as far as we can tell; THE GLASS CASTLE, a well-acted but divisive dysfunctional-family drama adapted from a best-selling memoir; WIND RIVER, a chilling but engaging crime thriller about a young woman’s death on a remote Native American reservation; THE FENCER, a Finnish feel-good sports story about the triumph of spirit over oppression in Soviet-occupied Estonia; A TAXI DRIVER, a compelling drama that follows a German journalist and a down-on-his-luck cabbie from Seoul as they venture into Gwangju, South Korea during a brutal military crackdown; and MENASHE, a Yiddish film about a hapless widower battling cultural traditions to retain custody of his son.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash, Charlie and Hannah shed light on: THE DARK TOWER, a so-so battle of good vs. evil adapted from the Stephen King series; BRIGSBY BEAR, a quirky dramatic comedy with a surprising amount of heart; AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER, an engaging follow-up to Al Gore’s auspicious PowerPoint documentary on climate change; STEP, a feel-good doc about a step team at an all-girls school in inner-city Baltimore; and ESCAPES, an extremely odd documentary about actor-writer Hampton Fancher.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Charlize Theron kicks major butt in the stylish, hyper-violent spy thriller ATOMIC BLONDE; a motel becomes the flash point of an egregious miscarriage of justice during the 1967 race riots in the powerful docudrama DETROIT; and a heavy dose of 1990s nostalgia isn’t enough to make the indie dark comedy LANDLINE a top pick at your local Blockbuster store (even if it did still exist).

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: debate over just how great the unconventional World War II drama DUNKIRK really is – or isn’t; Charlie defies the mainstream majority in his exuberant praise of the alien space movie VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS; mutual admiration for the raunchy but hilarious GIRLS TRIP; and a split decision on the Thai drama POP AYE about a man and his elephant.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash, options for those who don’t go ape over blockbusters: A teenager’s wishes start coming true and people start dying in the horror film WISH UPON; a dead husband (in a white sheet with eye holes) returns home to check on his bereft wife but gets stuck in time in the ethereal, philosophically-heavy A GHOST STORY; a group of citizen journalists risk their lives to shed light on ISIS atrocities in their hometown of Raqqa, Syria in the grim documentary CITY OF GHOSTS; and a photographer with a penchant for Polaroid gets a ton of exposure in Errol Morris's documentary THE B-SIDE: ELSA DORFMAN’S PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: a teenaged Peter Parker puts a new spin on a classic superhero in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING; two veteran actors humanize the 2006 Northern Ireland peace talks in THE JOURNEY; the work of a 14th Century Italian author gets new life in a strange, raunchy convent comedy called THE LITTLE HOURS; a male nurse documents several distressing years in Iraq’s dangerous Diyala Province in NOWHERE TO HIDE; a distraught mother tracks down those responsible for her son’s death in a moody, psychological drama from France called MOKA; and the documentary VEGAS BABY details a reality-style competition for a free round of IVF. Oh baby – let the clash begin!

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Third time is not the charm for DESPICABLE ME 3; BABY DRIVER is choreographed to succeed; THE BIG SICK offers up a healthy dose of romance, comedy and drama; OKJA will make you think – about becoming a vegetarian; THE EXCEPTION is a well-made retread of a well-worn genre, the WWII romantic spy thriller; and MOSCOW NEVER SLEEPS stands little chance of becoming a sleeper hit. Let the Clash begin!

On this docu-centric edition of the Cinema Clash: Charlie, Hannah and special guest Jill Boniske (Arty Chick of chickflix.net) compare notes on a myriad of films about sports, entertainment, politics, the environment, space, and girl power that managed to make the cut at the 2017 AFI Documentary Festival in Washington, DC.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: A victory lap for CARS 3; mixed feelings about THE BOOK OF HENRY; Sam Elliott pitches bbq sauce and redemption in THE HERO; and the Israeli film fest continues with PAST LIFE and THE WOMEN’S BALCONY.

On this packed edition of the Cinema Clash: THE MUMMY sheds light on what a bust the Dark Universe may be; IT COMES AT NIGHT attempts to scare the ‘it’ out of you; MEGAN LEAVEY gets a dog. Hoorah.; MY COUSIN RACHEL is sadly not a sequel to My Cousin Vinny; LETTERS FROM BAGHDAD is a weak doc about a strong woman; MANIFESTO taxes the brain with Cate Blanchett playing 13 roles; and a quirky little indie called BAND AID saves the day with humor, heart and a few catchy tunes.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Charlie and Hannah go to war over WONDER WOMAN, CHURCHILL, and GOD OF WAR. Plus, a plug for the British indie drama I, DANIEL BLAKE and a takedown of CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS by Charlie and his four-year-old.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Summer movie season kicks off with two mindless blockbusters adrift at sea, and three arthouse films that are at least somewhat thought-provoking. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales; Baywatch, Wakefield, The Wedding Plan, The Commune

On a somewhat abbreviated Cinema Clash: Charlie and Hannah review the YA drama, “Everything Everything” and the grown-up drama “Paris Can Wait.” Apparently Hannah can wait too – for the spoils of victory after last week’s wager. Tune in!

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Comedy, fantasy, drama, war, death and deadlines take center stage in SNATCHED, KING ARTHUR, THE LOVERS, THE WALL, and the documentary OBIT. Plus, there’s wine – and a wager! Let the clash begin!

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2; The Dinner; Risk; My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea; Citizen Jane: Battle Cry for the City; Buster’s Mal Heart; and Angkor Awakens. Let the Clash begin!

On this edition of The Cinema Clash: A watered-down tale of two documentaries and a Canadian drama/medium-core -- Finding Oscar, Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent, and Below Her Mouth. Let the Clash begin!

The Cinema Clash returns with reviews of: THE PROMISE, an epic historical romantic war drama set against the fall of the Ottoman Empire; THE LOST CITY OF Z, based on the 'true' story of British explorer Percival Fawcett’s mysterious fetish for Amazonia; CEZENNE ET MOI, a French historical drama about the lifelong friendship between 19th century painter Paul Cézanne and writer Emile Zola; IN SEARCH OF ISRAELI CUISINE, a documentary about the roots of, and inspirations for, Israeli cuisine; and TOMMY’S HONOUR, an indie inspired by the true story of a father and son in Scotland who founded modern golf. Is there a ‘hole in one’ to be found among this particular slate of films? Let the clash begin!

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE, a kid-friendly, adult-not-so-much animated feature; GOING IN STYLE, a heist comedy for the older crowd; GIFTED, a chick flick about a math prodigy with a hot guardian (Chris Evans) *You've got to be kidding me Hannah; ALIVE AND KICKING, a documentary about the history and appeal of swing dancing; QUEEN OF THE DESERT, a Werner Herzog film with Nicole Kidman as a headstrong debutante/explorer/cartographer at the dawn of the 20th Century; and FRANTZ, a foreign film that wins both Charlie and Hannah’s votes for best new release of the week. Will wonders never cease? Let the Clash begin!

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Charlie and Hannah debate a trio of films designed to appeal to very different audiences – THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE, for adults (and older teens); THE BOSS BABY – for kids, and the adults in tow; and AFTER THE STORM, for fans of Japanese arthouse drama. Let the clash begin!

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: The POWER RANGERS get a reboot; there’s no dipping into CHIPS; LIFE takes a horrific turn aboard the International Space Station; SONG TO SONG goes from bad to worse; WILSON personifies indie quirk; RAW delivers the ‘meat’; and Charlie supplies the wine.